Light-weight, mobile ramps are used to allow access to the inside of trailers, trucks or other types of container vehicles. For example, such mobile ramps can be used to permit utility vehicles, such as forklifts, to access the trailer and haul loaded pallets or bound material into or from the inside of the trailer. There are many different arrangements of mobile ramps that can be stored and then deployed from a trailer. A conventional ramp deployment system may include a mobile ramp arrangement having a pair of mobile ramps that support the respective left-side and right-side tires of a utility vehicle to establish a support pathway between the trailer and a lower surface for the utility vehicle to access the interior of the trailer. Typically, the mobile ramps are stored inside the trailer, and therefore must be manually deployed from the trailer by one or more individuals. The mobile ramps are temporary and therefore have the potential to move while in use. As such, the mobile ramps must be sufficiently secure and not move while a utility vehicle is moving on the mobile ramps. A ratchet and strap arrangement is known that is used to secure the mobile ramps to the trailer with each end of the ratchet and strap arrangement having an open hook in which one open hook is coupled to the cross rung of mobile ramp and the other open hook is coupled to the undercarriage of the trailer. A ratchet mechanism is operatively engaged to the strap and is operable to tighten the portion of the strap connected to the undercarriage in order to sufficiently secure the open hook thereto; however, there is a possibility that the open hook coupled to the undercarriage of the trailer may become disengaged or not fully secured to the undercarriage of the trailer prior to the strap being tightened. Because heavy utility vehicles and loaded pallets must repeatedly travel up and down the mobile ramps to the trailer, there is a need for a mobile ramp deployment system to securely stabilize and attach the mobile ramps to the trailer in a timely and efficient manner using a lone individual.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding elements among the various views of the drawings. The headings used in the figures should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the claims.